Refrigerator



V:12111.12'19, 1943. A. E. NAVE r-:T A1.

REFRIGERATOR Filed Dec. 22. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i mig? am@ A. MWL mow.

\ Jan. 19, 1943. E. NAVE ETAL REFRIGERATO'R 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 22. 1939 @lib/MM Patented Jan. 19, 1943 REFRIGERATOR Alfred E. Nave, Newburgh, and Walter A. Kuenzli, Evansville, Ind., assignors to Servel, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Appiieetien December l22, 1939, serial No. 310,580

5 Claims. (Cl. 20-35) This invention relates to refrigerators, and more particularly to refrigerator cabinet structure.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved door hinge of the concealed type for a refrigerator cabinet having a door which closes an access opening of a food storage space and also overlaps and entirely covers the front of the cabinet ,with which the door coacts.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and of which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a refrigerator cabinet embodying the invention, the door being in an open position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1 to illustrate the invention more clearly;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 2 with the door in its closed position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on lines 5-5 of Figs. 6 and '7, respectively, at a region offset with respect to the hinges;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 1--1 of Fig. 5.

Referring to Fig. 1, the invention is embodied in a refrigerator cabinet I having an inner metal shell II arranged within an outer metal shell I2 and insulated therefrom with any suitable insulating material I4. The inner metal shell II forms a thermally insulated food space I to which access may be had by a door I6. As shown in Fig. 1, an evaporator or cooling element I1 of suitable refrigeration apparatus may be arranged within space I 5.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5, the inner and outer shells II and I2 are provided with flanges I8 and I9, respectively, which are disposed in a plane at right angles to the lateral side walls of cabinet I0 and extend toward each other. The inner metal shell II may be supported within outer shell I2 in any suitable manner. As shown in Figs. 5 and 7, a plurality of connectors or blocks may be arranged about the opening of cabinet I0 and secured by screws 2I to the anges I8 and I9, respectively.

The relatively wide gap between the flanges I8 and I9 is bridged by a trim strip 22 and a sealing gasket formed of resilient material and having hollow striking beads 23 and 24, respectively.

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The striking beads 23 and 24 are connected by a web 25 against which the trim strip 22 bears. The trim strip 22 may be secured by screws 26 to the connectors or blocks 20. The screws 26 are in spaced relation along the edges of trim strip 22 and concealed from view by the hollow striking beads 23 and 24 of the sealing gasket.

The door I6 includes outer and inner metal sheets 21 and 28 which are structurally spaced apart, as will be described presently. The space between the outer and inner metal sheets 21 and 28 is filled with a suitable insulation 29. The outer and inner metal sheets 21 and 28 are provided With flanges 30 and 3|, respectively, which are in a vertical plane parallel to the trim strip 22 when the door I6 is in its closed position. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the outer and inner metal sheets 21 and 28 may be maintained in spaced relation by a plurality of connectors or blocks 32 which are fastened by screws 33 to the flanges 30 and 3l. The connectors 32 maintain the outer and inner metal plates 21 and 28 in structurally spaced apart relation and are located about the door I6.

The flange or peripheral edge portion 3I of the inner metal sheet 28 and the flange 30 of the outer metal sheet 21 are bridgedby a trim strip 34 which is contacted by the hollow striking beads 23 and 24 of the sealing gasket when the door I6 is in its closed position. The trim strip 34 may be secured in position in any suitable manner, and, as shown in Fig. 5, is provided with a backing member 35. The backing member 35 is provided with recesses 36 at spaced intervals to receive snap-acting fasteners 31, the heads of which are retained in the bottom of the recesses by expanding concave washers 38. The outer ends of the snap-acting fasteners 31 pass through openings in the connectors 32 whereby the trim strip 34 is effectively held in position.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, hinges of the concealed type are provided at the front of cabinet I0 for the door I6. Each hinge structure includes a hollow rectangular-shaped supporting block or member 39 which is fastened by screws 40 to the inner and outer flanges I8 and I9, respectively, of the inner and outer metal shells II and I2. A U-shaped plate 4I is secured by screws 42 to the supporting block 39, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4. The sidesor arms of U-shaped plate 4I extend horizontally across the top and bottom of supporting block 39 and are connected by a vertically extending portion at the right-hand side of the supportivg block. The U-shaped plate 4I is provided with ledges 43 which may be secured in any suitable manner, as by welding, for example, to the top and bottom arms of U-shaped plate 4I To the ledges 43 is journaled a pin 44 upon which is mounted a rounded or curved end 45 of a hinge leaf 46.

The hinge leaf 46 includes a straight portion 41, a curved portion 48, and another straight portion 49. The curved portion 48 extends through opening 63 in the hollow rectangular-shaped supporting block 39 and aligned slots or openings 50 and 5I in the web 25 and trim strip 22, as shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. The straight portion 49 of hinge leaf 46 is provided with flanges 52 extending in opposite directions. The flanges 52 are secured by screws 53 to a U-shaped member 54. The spaced arms of U-shaped member 54 are secured by screws 55 t0 the flanges 30 and 3l of the sheets 21 and 28. The U-shaped member 54 is provided with a tongue 56 which extends in the opposite direction from the spaced arms. The tongue 56 is secured by screws 51 to an L-shaped member 58 which is secured, as by welding, for example, to `the inner surface of outer metal sheet 21 of door I6. The straight portion 49 of hinge leaf 46 extends through the aligned openings in trim strip 34 and backing member 35, as indicated at 59 in Figs. 2 and 3.

In order to facilitate the assembly of the above described concealed hinge structure in a refrigerator cabinet, the opening 53 in the hollow rectangular-shaped block 39 is made sufficiently large to permit the insertion of U-shaped plate 4I therethrough. The hing-e leaf 46 is formed as a periphery of a circle concentric with hinge pin The radius of curvature of t-he portion 48 of the hinge leaf 46 is such that, when the door I6 is in its open position, as shown in Fig. 2, the hinge leaf will not contact or press against the hollow striking bead 24 of the sealing gasket.

As shown in Figs. l and 7, the trim strips 22 are connected by corner angle members 50 which are secured in position in any suitable manner. The trim strips 22 extending horizontally across the top and bottom may be made in a single piece. At the side of the cabinet opening opposite to the hinge side the trim strip 22 is split to facilitate the assembly of a strike plate BI which cooperates with a bolt of a latch provided on door I6, as indicated generally at E2. I

At the hinge side of cabinet I9 the trim strip 22 is split into two sections. Each of these sections is notched at its ends to provide the slots r openings After the concealed hinges are secured in position during the fabrication of cabinet I0, the trim strip sections at the hinge side of the cabinet are readily inserted into position by slipping the notched ends of the trim strip sections over hinge leafs 46. With the trim strip sections properly positioned, the latter may be fastened by screws 26 to the connectors 2D which may be located adjacent fthe abutting ends of the trim strip sections at the hinge side of the cabinet.

The sealing gasket may be made up in any suitable manner. As shown, the sealing gasket includes straight sections at th-e sides, top and bottom of the cabinet opening. The section at the latch strike plate side of the opening may be formed with an opening at the strike plate 6I. At the hinge side of the door the gasket section may be notched at its ends to provide the openings or slots 50. The sealing gasket sections may be secured in position simultaneously with the trim strips 22. At the corners of the cabinet opening are provided gasket corner inserts 64 which are formed of the same material as the straight gasket sections and also provided with hollow striking beads 23 and 24. The corner inserts 64 are in abutting relation to the adjacent ends of the straight gasket sections whereby the hollow striking beads of the sealing gasket extend entirely about the cabinet opening to provide an annular gasket fitting between the inner surface of the door and the front face of the cabinet.

The trim strips 34 on door I6 may be arranged in abutting relation, as shown in Fig. 6, with the top and bottom horizontal strips extending across the full width of the door. The trim strip at the hinge side of the door I6 is split into two sections with the upper and lower ends4 thereof notched at 59 so that they can slip over the hinge leafs 46. Connectors 32 may be provided adjacent the hinge blocks 54 and at the abutting ends of the trim strip sections. As pointed out above, these connectors are provided with openings to receive the snap-acting fasteners 31 for holding the trim strip sections in place.

The supporting blocks 39 for the hinges serve as connectors and aid the connectors in supporting inner metal shell II within outer metal shell I2. The trim strip 22 may also be secured by screws 26 to the blocks 39 in the same manner that screws 26 secure the trim strips to the connectors 20. Likewise, the U-shaped members 54 serve as connectors and aid the connectors 32 in maintaining the outer and inner metal sheets 21 and 28 in structurally spaced apart relation.

The connectors 20 and 32, supporting blocks 39 and U-shaped members 54 are formed of a material having poor thermal conductivity, such as, for exampl-e. wood or a resinous product like that known as Bakelit-e. The sealing gasket including web and hollow striking beads 23 and 24 may be formed of a suitable resilient material, such as, for example, rubber. The trim strips 22 and 34 may be formed of a suitable material having poor thermal conductivity, such as, for example, the resinous product known as Bakelite The backing member for trim strip 34 may be formed of wood and glued or otherwise suitably secured to the underside of the trim strip.

In the hinge structure described above and shown inthe drawings an exceptionally rugged and strong pivotal support is provided for a door which covers the front access opening of a storage space and also overlaps the entire front face of the cabinet. When the door is closed no part of the hinge structure is visible and no part of the door projects within the storage space I5. In other words, the inner metal sheet 28 of door` I6 is forward of the flange I8 of inner shell Il, whereby storage space I5 can be efficiently used in the storing of food products and the like. When the door is open the only part of the hinge structure that is Visible is the curved portion 4B of hinge leaf 46, all of the remaining parts of the structure being hidden from view.

While a single embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, such variations and modifications are contemplated as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention, as pointed out in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In the combination of a refrigerated cabinet having a food storage compartment accessible by means of a door opening, and a door for closing said opening and which when closed is substantially entirely outside the plane of said access opening and forms substantially an entire front wall for said cabinet, that improvement which comprises a hinge having an arcuate leaf or arm mounted on a, pintle in a cavity in a side wall of said cabinet, said arcuate leaf projecting through a slot at the forward end of said side wall, said door being attached to the projecting end of said leafso as to hang on said hinge, and a sealing gasket encircling said accessl opening between said cabinet and said door and located so as to form a seal therebetween when the door is closed and on a line that is outside of said slot so as to seal against breathing'of air through said slot into said cavity.

2. In the combination of a refrigerated cabinet having a food storage compartment accessible by means of a door opening, and a door for closing said opening and which when closed is substantially entirely outside the plane of' said access opening and forms substantially an entire frontf wall for said cabinet, that improvement which comprises a hinge having an arcuate leaf or arm mounted on a pintle in a cavity in a side wall of said cabinet, said side wall being formed of spaced apart metal sheets and a strip of thermal insulation material forming a breaker'strip which overlies the edges of said metal sheets at the forward end of said side wall, said breaker strip having a, slot through which said arcuate leaf projects, said door being attached to the projecting end of said leaf so as to hang on said hinge, and a sealing gasket encircling said access opening between said cabinet and said door and located so as to form a seal therebetween when the door is closed and on a line that is outside of said slot so as to seal against breathing of air through said slot into said cavity.

3. For use with a refrigerator cabinet having an inner shell forming a food storage compartment, such inner shell having an access opening at the forward part thereof and arranged within an outer shell and insulated therefrom, a trim strip at right angles to the lateral side walls of the cabinet, the trim strip having an opening and bridging the gap between the forward edges of the inner and outer shells, and a door arranged to close the access opening and also cover the entire front face of the cabinet between the inner and outer shells when in its closed position, hinge structure for mounting the door on the cabinet comprising an apertured block secured to the forward edges of the inner and outer shells in a'cavity formed in a side wall of the cabinet, said block serving to assist in maintaining the inner and outer shells in structurally spaced apart relation, a supporting frame secured to said block, the aperture in said block and said frame being of such size and shape that said frame can be inserted in the aperture in said block and thereafter secured to the latter to facilitate assembly, a pintle on said frame, an arcuateshaped leaf or arm carried by said pintle, said leaf or arm being arranged to pass through the aperture in said block and the opening in the trim strip with the projecting end thereof rigidly connected to the door, and a sealing gasket encircling the access opening between the cabinet and the door and positioned to form a seal therebetween when the door is closed, such seal being located outside of the aperture in said block so as to effect a seal against breathing of air through the aperture into the cavity.

44. For use with a refrigerator cabinet having an inner shell forming a food storage compartment, such inner shell having an access opening at the forward part thereof and arranged within an outer shell and insulated therefrom, a multisection trim strip at the front face of the cabinet bridging the gap between the forward edges of the inner and outer shells, one of said trim strip sections being notched at its end and abutting an adjacent trim strip section, and a door arranged to close the access opening and also cover the entire front face of the cabinet between the inner and outer shells when in its closed-position, hinge structure for mounting the door on the cabinet comprising an apertured block secured to the forward edges of the inner and outer shells in a cavity formed in a side wall of the cabinet,

said block serving to assist in maintaining th inner and outer shells in structurally spaced apart relation, a supporting frame secured to said block, the aperture in said block\ and said frame being of such size and shape that said frame can be inserted in the aperture and thereafter secured to the block to facilitate assembly, a pintle on said frame, an arcuate-shaped leaf or arm mounted on said pintle, said leaf or arm being arranged to pass through the aperture in said block and also the notch in the trim strip with the projecting end thereof being attached to the door, and a sealing gasket encircling the access opening between the cabinet and the door and positioned to form a seal therebetween when the door is closed, such seal being located outside of the aperture in said block so as to eifect a seal against breathing of air through the aperture into the cavity.

5. For use with a refrigerator cabinet provided with a food storage compartment having an access opening, and a door for closing the opening, the door being of such size that when the access opening is closed the door also forms substantially an entire front wall for the cabinet, hinge structure comprising an apertured block mounted in a cavity in a side wall of the cabinet, a supporting frame secured to said block, the aperture in said block and said frame being of such size and shape that said frame can be inserted in the aperture in said block and thereafter secured to the latter to facilitate assembly, a pintle on said frame, an arcuate-shaped leaf or arm mounted on'said pintle, said leaf orarm passing through the aperture in said block, the projecting end of said leaf or arm being attached to the door so that the latter hangs on said hinge structure, and a sealing gasket encircling the access opening between the cabinet and the door and positioned to form a seal therebetween when the door is closed, such seal being located outside of the aperture in said block so as to effect a seal against breathing of air through the aperture into the cavity.

ALFRED E. NAVE.

WALTER A. KUENZLI. 

